THE CHURCH IN NEW ZEALAND

New Zealand Tablet, 25 July 1912, Page 45

THE CHURCH IN NEW ZEALAND

IN THE PATH OF THE PIONEERS

(Contributed.)

IN RETROSPECT.

Before attempting to give an account of the revival of missionary endeavor among the aboriginal inhabitants of the Dominion on the cessation of hostilitieslong and disastrously waged against established authority—it is necessary to revert briefly to the first conflict, and relate a few incidents connected-therewith, so as to understand the real causes of discontent engendered in the native mind at the very beginning of British rule, and which found an outlet in war and disorder at intervals during the greater part of the ensuing quarter of a century. The exploits of Hone Heke and his followers at Kororareka in 1845, which precipitated the subsequent trouble, are within the knowledge of all students of early New Zealand history and also that Heke, although practically a savage, was no fool, and was possessed of undoubted courage and argumentative skill of no mean order. The Maoris had rather submitted to than accepted the Treaty of Waitangi, which gave England a protectorate over the North Island, and incidentally over the whole of New Zealand, but which did not sufficiently secure the rights of the Natives. The question of the taxes was the first to cause discontent; the exorbitant rate of ten shillings an acre was imposed on the sale of lands. The transfer of the capital to Auckland also deeply wounded the Bay of Islands Natives, who thereby found themselves deprived of the advantages from the arrival of ships at that port. Hone Heke, the great chief of the Ngapouhis, and suzerain of the adjacent tribes of the Bay of Islands, was the first to revolt. At this news the Anglican Bishop (Dr. Selwyn), who had watched over the education of Heke, went to him. ' How is it (he said) that it is thou, our dutiful son, who goest to war with the Christians, thy brothers, and who breakest the promise given by thee and the other chiefs that you would respect the British flag? Do not the Scriptures, that I have taught thee, forbid hatred and perjury?' 'Thou hast taught me (replied the chief with great composure) that St. Paul has said, "When I was a child I spoke like a child, I acted like a child; when I became a man I ceased to be a child, and I spoke and acted like a man." When the English unfurled their flag upon our isles I allowed them, not knowing that it was the death-knell of our independence. We were then children. We are now men; good sense has returned to us, and we throw down the flao-.' ■ 'What' (replied the Bishop) Does the disciple give a lesson to the Master? In despising the word of the Master, knowest thou not that thou despisest Jesus Christ Him--11 i ■ l?™ Jesus Christ, then > was it not (answered the chief), Who told the English to usurp with violence the lands of our ancestors ? Bishop, stop ! Thou hast ceased to be in our eyes His minister. To us thou art only a man, a man like ourselves. Men buy land and engage in- commerce, and have wives and children You are not the envoys of Jesus Christ. It is John Baptist Pompallier, who is the Bishop, the envoy of Jesus Christ Thou art the envoy of the Queen, to pe At. 6^° ad for her soldiers t 0 our s k°res. Go, and S*i ! ?r 6rnr V Aucklan d. Open before him the "7 i e at the page where it is written "Thou shalt not steal, tell him that should his conscience arrest him that our guns can.' v j><- _ In a number of publications purporting I to treat historically of affairs in New Zealand, a completely erroneous impression has been conveyed regarding the actions of Bishop Pompallier in connection with the dealings between the British authorities and the Native chiefs. Motives have been attributed to the Bishop without the slightest evidence of reality, and which denote a callous indifference to what actually happened • a judgment warped by sheer prejudice or a disinclination to cede anything of a patriotic or Christian nature to the Catholic missionaries. , Letters of Bishop Pom-

pallier—given hereunder—written at the time when the initial trouble was pending, showing that every effort was made by him I to prevent conflict and ward off -the impending danger, will prove how absurdly wrong were his critics, and how worthily he upheld the rights of all parties. Disregard of his warnings and far-seeing judgment all too soon plunged the-young country into that long period of sorrow and. desolation, referred to at the opening of this chapter. Letter of Mgr. Pompallier to Jean Heke, Chief of one of the Maori tribes: - - ;

' Kororareka, January 31, 1845.* ' 'To Jean Heke, Hail: Behold what I have to tell you; I have learned through Father Petit that you desire to see me. This message has been for me very agreeable, but I cannot go so yet on account of my numerous occupations which prevent me; so for the present I can only send you this letter containing my thoughts. You ought to know that my words are "not those of a chief appointed to regulate the interests of this world. Be persuaded, also, that they do not hide any deception. Yes, Jean Heke, I love all the Maoris those who have engaged, blindly in Protestantism, as also those who have not embraced any religion. But I also love strangers. I desire ardently that they live on- good terms, and that all the • inhabitants of. this town be happy. This is why a profound sadness penetrates, my heart at the sight of the seeds of war which are growing in New Zealand. Having hardly rived, I heard that you had pulled down the English flag at Kororareka, and now probably the place will be burned and the Maoris destroyed. 'As you see, I do not like to hide my thoughts. I tell you then, you will not be powerful enough to resist the English; that is to say, their soldiers, of whom millions are beyond the seas. You will soon require powder, and besides, all the New Zealand chiefs are not united m thought and command, this is why I seek some means to save you. Perhaps this is one of them: it would be to write to the Colonial Government and'to the Queen of England, and mention your claims as. regards your lands and your.. authority If you are. inflexible, and if the English Government -are the same, that is to say, if you declare war, take care not' to turn your arms against the English who live in peace, against the women or the children; take care also not to pillage their houses, for these are great crimes before God, and in'the eyes of the European nations. - " . r --- a If I were an Englishman living in New Zealand, and had solicited you formerly to cede to strangers the sovereignity of your island, you would be right to mistrust my advice. But, on the contrary, I am of a different nation, and I have never spoken to you of submitting to any foreign power, be it English, French, or American. This is not my mission. I have not come m the name of an earthly king in order to regulate among the Chiefs the interests of this perishable world I have been sent by the Prince of the Church in order to devote myself exclusively to the ministry, of .the salvation of souls. " -. J ■ :, , ; ; > 'Tims, such were my words in the assembly which was held at Waitangi: "Your sovereignty regard yourself, I have not to direct you in that; if you wish to cede your rights to a foreign power, or it it pleases you to keep them yourself, it is: your affair. For me I am ready to work for the salvation- of your souls' whether you belong to the English Government, or keep your national independence; for you the solicitude of tins shore life; for. me the cafe of procuring-.for you the happiness of heaven." - " ° i .'Jean Heke, consider well that my sojourn in New Zealand is a proof of my affection for you all, for W nl^nd 1 1 f ° r J my;Stechists, and I myself will-not Cease pray that the the heavens V disappear m order that justice, peace, and true felicity may shine anew om New Zealand Finally, I repeat what I have said: v Claim your rights, declaring war The ' words and writing of a man of honor are better than: the bloody sword.- Justice is the foundation of the

greatness of nations; iniquity is the cause of their fall. I now finish my discourse, Jean Heke, and let me know your thoughts, good or bad, on the subject.

' Hail! to you and yours,

' J. Baptiste Francois Pompallier,

' Roman Catholic Bishop.'

A letter of Bishop Pompallier to Captain Hone:

' Bay of Islands,

April, 1845.

'Sir, —I am very grateful for the offer you have made me in your name and in that of his Excellency Governor Fitzroy, to convey my flock and myself to a place of safety; but alas! I fail to see at present in what part of New Zealand the persons who are only protected by the present forces of the Colony can be in safety. First of all, my flock at the present time is composed almost exclusively of natives who for the most part have remained peaceful during' the hostilities which have just ruined this town. Now these tribes gave me to understand that they could only depend on the protection of the English authority, when the latter will be able to protect its own people.

' Sir, as to what concerns myself, my priests, and the catechists who assist us in the mission, we have left all, family and country in order to work for the salvation of the people of New Zealand; we have neither wives nor children to hinder us in the way of sacrifice; moreover, it is a duty for all legitimate pastors to give their lives for their sheep; consequently, I do not ask to be transported elsewhere. Our place of safety is in heaven, the end of all our desires.

• ' I sincerely deplore the political difference which ha-s arisen in this country between the New Zealanders and his Excellency the Governor. All my desires are for peace, and the happiness of the Europeans and the natives. All the efforts of which I am capable, I have made in order to prevent these hostilities, and my efforts will continue during the war in order to reconcile the parties. But when it is a question of political disputes, the voice of religion, all peaceful as it is, remains a stranger to the debate. It does not wish to have the disposing of properties; neither to decide between the people. It leaves them to their own conscience and to the tribunal of the Lord King of Kings; it is there they will have to answer for the justice of their cause, of their respect for the rights of the people, and of their fidelity to the laws of nature and to the Gospel.

' The New Zealanders, notwithstanding the many calumnies against the Catholic religion, have understood the zeal and disinterestedness of our ministers among them; it is from this motive, no doubt, that in the excitement even of the combat, they have respected my person, that of the members of my mission, and all that belonged to me. Moreover, this respect which they have for v the Catholic Bishop, so discredited in his Apostolate, has saved from the flames about fifteen houses of English residents, which adjoined his dwelling. They are still standing and intact; the natives have not set them on fire for the reason that if they had done so, my establishment would have been consumed by the flames. In the midst of the calamities which have afflicted this town, I felicitate myself in seeing the houses spared in consideration for the Catholic Bishop, and it is a sort of tribute of gratitude, that religion, in my person, offers to his Excellency the Governor, for the protection which he has given to the inhabitants of New Zealand. Would to God all Europeans renounced their prejudices against the Roman Catholic Church, which saves what she can from the disasters of which she is innocent.

' By this letter, you understand, Sir, that my intention is not to deprive this country of the ministration which I have exercised in it during eight years I fear neither pillage, nor burning, nor death, provided that I can assist the flock confided to my care. 'I have the honor to be, Sir, yours etc., 'J. B. Francois Pompallier, 'Vicar Apostolic of Western Oceanica.'

A letter of Mgr. Pompallier to the Central Council of the Work of the Propagation of the Faith: - -.*'

'-Kororareka, May, 1845.

' Gentlemen,For about the last six months our island has been a prey to bloody disorders, which' religion and humanity have equally to lament. Whilst I was on a visit to the south of New Zealand,; the tribes of the north, and above all those of Kaikohe, near Waimate, organised a political plot, having in view to replace under National authority all the country of which the English claimed the domination. Jean Heke, the instigator of this revolt, is the chief of the tribe of Kaikohe, and nephew of the great Hongi, who was a sort of " Attila " for this island. Jean Heke had been one of the first disciples of the Protestant ministers before the breaking of the treaty which they knew to be their work; he pretends to-day that he has been deceived in agreeing to the transfer of the territory; that all the other chiefs have signed it like himself without , knowing what they were doing, that never have they had the intention of sacrificing in favor of any nation, the independence of their country, and that they wished to recover with all force their usurped rights. ' As the question thus presented was entirely political, it did not belong to me to solve. I have done what I could, nevertheless, in order to prevent hostilities. I have urged the. natives to employ peaceful means for reclamation, rather than proceed as- they were doing, by injuries and the blows of their axes. All the chiefs whom I have visited, and these are the most influential, have received my words with respect and affection, although they were nearly all Protestants or pagans: but their answer has been constantly this: " It is a loss of time, that of words and writing. We will gain nothing by it, if it is not "to be deceived once more. Let the English remove their flag which waves on our island as a sign of sovereignty, let them hoist in its place the ancient flag of New Zealand, then we shall remain tranquil and leave them in peace." In the interests of both parties, I have informed the English authorities of Kororareka of all, but" they had been ordered not to yield. ' Jean Heke arrived immediately with three hundred men armed to the teeth, and all determined to die rather than to retreat. On the side of the English there were in the roadstead the sloop of war (the "Hasard") and the brig "Victoria." On land there were about fifty soldiers, eighty mariners, and one hundred and twenty colonists, organised as National Guards ; and besides, two forts with some cannons protecting the British standard and its defenders.* ' When I saw the town exposed to become the theatre of combat, I hired a small vessel on which I embarked a good number of my people and our effects; as for myself, two members of the mission and some natives, we intended to go away only when the danger would be imminent. I had been informed that the English artillery would demolish the town rather than leave it m the power of the natives, thus prudence commanded us to leave the place as soon as it would have become a field of battle.

. On March 11, at sunrise— is, before 5 o'clock in the morning,—the Maoris began the attack from three points almost simultaneously; first of all, by the Valley of Matawipe, then by that of Osserua, and finally by the hill of the English Pavilion. When the fighting began, I retired on board the schooner which awaited us ; the balls whizzed over our heads like hailstones, but none of us were injured. This combat, of which we have been the afflicted witnesses, lasted until -past 10 in the morning. Happily, the shedding of blood has been less than was anticipated for so long a struggle; there were about twenty dead, and about 30 wounded on both sides. After the English storehouse of ammunition had exploded, the natives gained the victory. ...'■• = \ ' - 'All the white population had been received on board the vessels in the roadstead, and thence transported to Auckland. In leaving the coast they could see the flames devouring the houses of all this town delivered up to the horrors of war, of pillage, and of

burning. Only about one establishment remained standing; it was that of the Bishop. The natives spared it with the surrounding houses. Now I reside in the middle of cinders, and have only ruins under my eyes, but notwithstanding the sadness with which the spectacle fills my soul, I continue to work for the salvation of my flock in sending them the missionaries, who are well received everywhere. • If you desire to know the correspondence which I have had in this difficult circumstance, be it with the Commander of the British forces, or with the Chief of the Natives, you will find enclosed a copy of two letters which I have addressed to them.* 'I am, etc., ' J. B. Francois Pompallier, ' Vicar Apostolic of Western Oceanica.' * The foregoing were the two letters referred to. (To be continued.)